


Dream

by Wadj



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Drama, First Time, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-05-03
Updated: 2011-05-03
Packaged: 2017-10-18 22:55:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/194193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wadj/pseuds/Wadj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is unbeta'd, so apologies for any canon or grammatical mistakes, I think I've picked up all the spellings. There are a few Hebrew words in there, but you should get the gist of the conversation without translation, please comment if it throws you out. It's my first H50 fic and has been crossposted at Waves Of Love. It should be three parts long, but you never know, it could go longer :) Any feedback is welcomed, as long as it's constructive. Flames are a waste of bandwidth, and they hurt.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is unbeta'd, so apologies for any canon or grammatical mistakes, I think I've picked up all the spellings. There are a few Hebrew words in there, but you should get the gist of the conversation without translation, please comment if it throws you out. It's my first H50 fic and has been crossposted at Waves Of Love. It should be three parts long, but you never know, it could go longer :) Any feedback is welcomed, as long as it's constructive. Flames are a waste of bandwidth, and they hurt.

Steve glanced over at the softly snoring figure beside him and smiled, indulgently. He envied the man his ability to sleep peacefully, since it didn’t feel as if McGarrett had slept without nightmares for quite some time. He laid his head back onto the seat and tried to relax. It wasn’t worth trying to sleep; he knew they’d be in San Diego shortly. In any case, as soon as he closed his eyes they were there, the images of a rescue gone wrong, and a very dead teenage girl.

This had the makings of a messy situation, with something for the whole family; arms, explosives, drugs and the Middle East. McGarrett hadn’t enjoyed his time at Gitmo, but it was a job and it had to be done. He saw things he’d rather not have seen, but that was nothing new. Five Oh had had some experience with terrorist organisations before, but only skimmed the surface. Al-Qaeda was in a different league. They took no quarter and you had to give none in return, because they disregarded human life in a manner even the toughest gang boss would find abhorrent. He hoped that Danny was prepared for the potential firestorm.

In many ways, Danny was his perfect partner. McGarrett knew that he had a touch of the ‘gung-ho’ and Danny was someone who would temper that enthusiasm when necessary before it got out of control, like hanging people from roofs, and throwing them into shark cages. Danny didn’t like that, and in his unique vociferous and eloquent way, he would let McGarrett know about it. For his own part, Danny could be just a tad OCD in the procedural department, and Steve had taken it as a personal mission to get him to loosen the hell up. As far as he could tell, it was slowly working, as evidenced by the guy they drove through Honolulu tied to the hood of the Camero.

His partner was right to accuse Steve of having control issues, but who could blame him? As commander of a SEAL unit, he was responsible not only for getting the job done, but for the life of everyone on the squad. He hadn’t been able to save his mother from the car bomb that killed her, nor had he been able to stop Victor Hesse from shooting his father in cold blood and as for Mary, Steve didn’t think anyone would be able to control her. Ever. As far as he was concerned it was understandable that he liked to be in control of as much of his life, and the lives of those he cared for, as possible. He looked over at Danny again, loath to wake him, but knowing he must at some point soon. He wondered, and prayed, that he’d be able to protect his partner if things got serious. He elbowed Danny none too gently, resisting the urge to kiss him awake. He’d already been on the receiving end of a Williams right cross, he wasn’t eager to do it again. The guy could throw a punch.

“Hey, batter up big guy. We’re landing in a minute.”

After they’d collected their bags, the Navy driver picked them up and took them to the Fleet Intelligence Training Centre Pacific Fleet.

“We’ve come to meet an old friend of mine. Commander Chaim Rappoport, from the IDF. He’s working as liaison to the US Navy.”

“Israeli? Wow. Those guys are tough.”

Steve nodded. “We worked together in the Gulf a few times when I was a SEAL. He’s a good man. He might be able to help us.”

The corridor seemed to go on ‘til Cleveland, but eventually McGarrett stopped outside an office door marked ‘Attaché’ and knocked.

“Enter!” the deep voice seemed to come from somewhere in the bowels of the earth.

Steve and Danny opened the door and as soon as the man behind the desk caught sight of Steve, he rose and grinned broadly.

“McGarrett! Shalom chaver! Mah nishmah?”

Danny wasn’t quite sure if he was ever going to stop getting up. Steve was way tall enough, thank you, but this guy was a giant. It was a good thing Danny rarely felt intimidated. In fact, he could only think of one person who’d ever made him feel that way.

Steve laughed as the large man gave him a bear hug.

“I’m good thanks And you?”

“Always! Who’s this?”

Danny leaned forward to shake the Commander’s hand.

“Na’im me’od. Sh’mi Danny Williams.”

Once Steve had retrieved his jaw from the floor, he managed to splutter, “ He’s my partner.”

Chaim looked impressed and asked, “Ha’im atah medaber Ivrit?”

Danny smiled and shook his head. “Nah, not really. Curse words, mostly. I had a friend in High School who’d come from Israel with his parents. They wanted to save him from serving in the IDF because it was gettin’ pretty hairy out there. Not sayin’ it was necessarily the right thing to do, but y’know, I got a daughter. I can get where they were comin’ from.”

Chaim nodded, soberly. “I understand. My wife and I have three sons, all safe, Baruch Hashem, but we know plenty of people who weren’t so lucky.”

Steve made a mental note to never, ever underestimate his partner again.

The moment passed and Commander Rappoport motioned for them both to sit, as he perched on the corner of his desk.

“So. What can we do for you?”

Steve took a photograph out of his pocket and passed it to the Commander. His expression became grave.

“Ahmed Sharif. Haven’t seen his face in a while. He’s in your neighbourhood?”

Steve nodded. “We think so. He’s hooked up with the Triads, moving guns and heroin. He brings in the pure stuff from Afghanistan, and the Triads cut and distribute.”

“Apart from money, what’s Sharif getting out of this?”

Danny continued. “He gets a safe place to play, to plan. He gets time. Making someone disappear on the islands is something the Chinese are extremely good at. He’s off the radar, but we’re getting intel that something big is going down. We’re just not sure where, what or when.”

“In other words, you got nothing?”

“Pretty much,” Danny admitted.

Steve interjected. “All we know is that he’s there, somewhere and he’s planning something. We’re doing as much as we can to fill in the blanks, but you and I know this guy, Chaim. He doesn’t mess around with the small stuff. He’s been close to bin Laden, he has contacts high up in Hamas. You name an Islamic fundamentalist organisation and he has his hands in there somewhere. He has the money and the muscle. I want him off my islands. Or dead. Preferably the latter.”

Chaim rubbed his chin thoughtfully and adjusted his khaki yarmulke.

“I have a friend in Shin Bet. I’ll ask him to look around, see what he can come up with.”

“Todah rabah, chaver sheli.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll help you find him.”

Steve and Danny both rose, and shook the Commander’s hand.

“Where are you staying?”

“We’ll be out and around, here’s my card. My cell number’s on it.”

“I’ll be in touch. By the way, Steve…”

Steve caught the look on Chaim’s face and knew what he’d be asking. He turned back towards the Commander.

“It’s okay, Danny. I’ll be a minute.”

Danny’s face clouded with concern, but he did as asked and went to wait outside the office.

“How are you doing?” Chaim asked quietly. “We haven’t really spoken since…”

Steve sighed. “Yeah. I’m… I’m doing okay. Other stuff’s happened since then.”

Chaim nodded, “I heard about your father. I’m sorry for your loss, my friend. I wish you long life.”

“Thank you. What about you?”

Chaim shrugged. “They sent me to a shrink, which helped a little I suppose. I did it more for everyone else than for myself. Galia was incredible, but then she’s Sabra back three generations. Her family helped to build Israel rock by rock. She’s as tough as they come.”

Steve looked into his eyes, and saw that Chaim had the same nightmares he did.

“It wasn’t our fault, Chaim.”

“I know.”

“It was bad intel.”

“She was fifteen, Steve.”

“Yeah.”

“We’ll get this mamzer.”

An unspoken promise passed between them, and Steve opened the door, and left.

Danny was as concerned as Steve had ever seen him, and since they’d been partners, Steve had seen him very concerned, very many times.

“Y’okay, babe?”

Luckily, Steve was still in business mode. He wanted to tell, in fact, he wanted to spill the whole thing and just fall into Danny’s arms. That wasn’t going to happen, and besides, they had more important things to think about.

The hotel was comfortable enough, and they’d managed to find connecting rooms for Steve and Danny. Danny couldn’t work out why Steve had been so insistent about that, but went with it anyway. He would have been happy enough to share a room, and save the department some money, but then he wasn’t exactly sure he’d be able to trust himself, so figured it was probably better this way.

Steve’s eyes were dark, and sunken. His face was pale and although Danny knew he was able to stay up and work for several days without sleep, he looked like death warmed over.

“Steven, you look terrible. Why don’t you just take a shower, get some shut-eye while I call Chin and Kono, to see how they’re makin’ out. I’ll wake you in a while and we’ll get some food. Okay?”

“I’m fine,” he protested, but it was a half-assed effort.

“Oh, yeah? Tell me somethin’. In what universe, exactly, does *this* face count as fine?”

Danny manoeuvred Steve to the mirror and made him take a good look.

“No, Steve, you are not fine. Listen to me for once. You need sleep, you need a lot of it, and then you need some good old-fashioned food. Burger, fries, pie, coffee. Maybe even a donut. There must be a Krispy Kreme around here somewhere. We can do all this, but first you need to get your ass into bed. I know you’re the boss, but trust me, I can be a real bitch when I have to be.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “And you think I don’t already know that?”

“Shut up.”

McGarrett put up his hands in surrender. When Danny was in this mood, it really wasn’t worth trying to argue. He’d learned that much.

“All right. I get it. I’ll see you in a while.”

He wearily got up from the bed; part of him wishing he could get into it and have Danny next to him in case the nightmares came back, which he knew they would. Not to… just to have him there.

The hot water stung, but felt good after the long day. He still wasn’t convinced he was tired enough to sleep and not dream, but he had to try. He wouldn’t be able to keep this up for much longer without collapsing, and then he’d be no use to anyone.

After towelling off, he slipped under the covers and tried to get comfortable. He closed his eyes and Shalit’s face appeared as it had every night for the last three weeks. Terrified, eyes wide open, unable to scream for the duct tape around her mouth, unable to move from the chair the terrorists had tied her to.

Shalit Avioz was the daughter of a high-ranking Mossad officer, kidnapped by Sharif and his small but specialised al-Qaeda cell. She was being held at a Hamas training camp in South Lebanon. McGarrett had developed a reputation for being excellent at extraction missions in difficult circumstances, and had been seconded to the IDF from the SEALs to handle the transport from a small submarine offshore and assist the team with extracting the young girl. Unfortunately, when the team got there, the terrorists had been ready for them. Shalit’s throat was slit as soon as the team entered the room, just like an animal being halal slaughtered. Sharif made sure the team were witnesses to the moment of her death. The man who’d killed her was shot dead, but it had been too late to save Shalit. He’d known exactly where to cut.

She bled out in front of them in only a matter of seconds. So much blood… It was a scene Steve didn’t think he would ever erase, as if it was burned onto the inside of his eyelids, and of the six men on the extraction squad, Chaim and Steve had been the only survivors. Four of the terrorists were killed, but Sharif disappeared. That had been five years before, and Steve had thought he’d managed to file it away in a locked compartment in his mind. He had several of them, containing all the traumatic memories he couldn’t bear to face, just to allow him to function. Then Sharif turned up again on Molokai and the nightmares began again.

Three weeks of no sleep had taken its toll, as fit a man as Steve was. He curled up into the foetal position and tried to relax.

Steve had been asleep for about an hour, when Danny heard a noise coming from his room. Danny became concerned and opened the connecting door. Steve was bathed in sweat, the covers thrown off the bed. He was thrashing around, moaning and yelling, “No! No!” over and over. Danny ran over to the bed and sat down. He wasn’t quite sure how to play it, whether to shake Steve awake, or try to hold him. Instinct was saying hold him, but McGarrett was very strong and Danny didn’t want to be thrown onto the floor, or worse yet punched. He gently grabbed Steve’s shoulders, and started to shake him.

“Steve! Steven! Easy babe, easy.”

Steve came to, confused and bewildered, yet reassured to see Danny’s face.

“What?”

Danny relaxed a little. “You were having some nightmare there, buddy. You okay?”

Steve shook himself. “Yeah… yeah… I’m okay. Did I say anything?”

“Not really. Just ‘no’ over and over again. You remember what it was all about?”

Steve closed himself off. Danny was accustomed to that look, and knew better than to enquire further.

“I’m fine, Danny, don’t worry about it. We got any beer in this place?”

“I worry. I’m like a Jewish mother I worry so much. I worry about you most of all, and yes, there’s beer in the minibar. You probably won’t like it, but it’ll have to do, because that’s all we got.”

As much as Steve loved him, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to cope with Danny in this frame of mind. There were two ways around it, as far as he could see. Tell him everything, and that would have to mean everything. He wasn’t sure he was ready to do that yet, especially not in the middle of a case this big. The alternative was to lock down tight. He was more comfortable with that one, and more practised at it, so that was probably the sensible choice. Yet there was the voice in his head, insisting it was time to open up. Telling Steve it was time to trust again, saying that Danny was the only one who could heal his pain, and if he didn’t do it now, there’d be an explosion very soon that he might not be able to recover from.

Steve’s heart pounded in his chest as he waited for Danny to come back into the room with the beer. He took the bottle and drank deeply from it as Danny sat beside him, his face still grim and concerned.

“Steve, you can’t keep doing this to me.”

“Doing what? What am I doing?”

“I’m your partner, okay? If I’m gonna watch your back I need to know what’s going on in your head. If you keep bringing the steel doors down, I can’t do that. It makes me nervous. Let me in, Steve. You have to trust me.”

Steve took another big slug from the bottle, and then took a deep breath. He kept his own eyes fixed on the mattress because if he was going to just rip out his own heart and serve it up to Danny Williams on a platter, he sure as hell didn’t want to look in his partner’s eyes and see any contempt or disgust. That would just about kill him.

He let out the breath.

“Five years ago, I was a SEAL working with the IDF to rescue a kidnap victim. She was the fifteen year old daughter of a Mossad operative.”

“Israeli Secret Service?”

Steve nodded. “They’re not known for their… finesse, and they’d assassinated a close relative of Ahmed Sharif who was an al-Qaeda operative in northern Afghanistan. Long story short, we got there and one of his men killed her. We shot the guy who did it, but it was too late for Shalit by then. One of the villagers had obviously betrayed us, although as far as we knew no one even knew about the op outside our small team. It was… it was the most evil thing I’d ever seen in my life. I had nightmares about it for weeks afterwards. Only two of our team survived and we both had therapy when we got back home. I locked it down, but then when Sharif turned up on the island, the nightmares…”

“I get it,” Danny said, softly placing a hand on Steve’s shoulder. The warmth of Danny’s hand spread through Steve’s bare skin and he quickly pulled the covers over the lower half of his body, just in case his dick betrayed his feelings before his words had a chance to.

Danny had never seen him like this before; it was as if he hadn’t even begun to know the man. Danny desperately wanted to put his arms around him and make the nightmares stop.

“But that’s not all of it, Danny. It’s you.”

“I’m giving you nightmares? I mean, I know I can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but…”

“No! Christ, Danny. Shut up. Please. Just for a minute. The way you make me feel. It’s driving me nuts! I mean, I’ll get it if you want to throw in the job, but if I don’t tell you it’s gonna kill me in the end. It’s just too fucking much with everything else I have to deal with. That’s one hell of a confession I’ve just made. Have you any idea how much this is costing me?”

“Whoa, whoa, wait up there Steven. I know I’m blond, and at times I can appear a little slow, but I’m getting confused here. Back up a tad.”

Steve looked him in the eye for the first time.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

It was a mixture of terror and triumph for Steve to make Danny Williams lost for words, but that did it. Danny’s mouth was opening and closing like a guppy until Steve just got sick of it and kissed him.

His mouth was softer than Steve had expected, and the stubble on his face scratched against his own in a very good way. Although Danny was stunned, it only took a second for him to get with the programme and return Steve’s kiss with interest. Danny’s hand cradled Steve’s face, his mouth yielding and eager. Their tongues played gently, neither one wanting to come on too strong. Danny tasted of coffee and beer, and Steve wanted to kiss him for days.

“Okay,” Danny breathed as they finally broke the kiss. “That was a little unexpected.”

“But not entirely unwelcome,” Steve grinned, a little smugly.

“No, no, I can safely say that it wasn’t unwelcome, it just would have been good if it had happened weeks ago. It would have been way better for my blood pressure. We’ve kinda wasted a lot of time.”

Steve shrugged. “We got there in the end.”

Danny smiled. “I guess we did. Oh, and just in case I hadn’t mentioned it, I love you too, infuriating and ridiculous person that you are. I’ve been trying to hide it, and by the sound of things, I’ve done a pretty damned good job. You’re so damned uptight I had no clue how you felt. You’ve damaged me more than enough on the outside, I wasn’t that enthusiastic about the idea of having my jaw broken for making a pass at you, not to mention getting my heart broken into the bargain.”

Steve smiled and stroked Danny’s cheek with the pads of his fingers. “Not planning to do either one, Danno.”

“Y’know, I’m getting to mind you calling me Danno less and less. So, you wanna fool around?” Danny grinned, pulling off his shirt and pants, but leaving his boxers on.

McGarrett rolled back his head and laughed.

Danny climbed into bed, and scooted up to him.

“Seriously. Your call. What now?” he asked quietly, his hand gently resting on Steve’s waist.

Steve took Danny’s hand and laced his fingers through his.

“Could you just hold me?”

The vulnerability in Steve’s voice astounded Danny and he realised just how big a risk Steve had taken in telling him how he felt. He knew in that instant that Steve was showing a side of himself that no one got to see, not even Cath, and Danny’s heart swelled to bursting.

“C’m’ere.” Danny drew Steve towards him, putting his head in the crook of his arm and chest. Steve sighed, relaxing into his embrace, which was sure and strong, just like the rest of him and noting the softness of Danny’s chest hair against his face. Danny pulled him closer, wrapping his leg over Steve’s waist and winding his arm around Steve’s back.

“I gotcha. Go to sleep now, babe,” he whispered, planting a kiss on the top of his partner’s head.

Steve breathed in deeply, savouring the smell of him, clean sweat and cologne and… Danny. He drifted off to sleep, at peace for the first time in weeks.

Steve’s cell woke Danny with a start, and he sat up to answer it, swinging his legs off the edge of the bed.

“Danny Williams.”

“Danny, it’s Chaim. Is Steve there?”

“He is, but he’s getting some sleep, which he needs. What can I do for you?”

“I may have a lead on our friend, meet me at Nado Gelato in an hour. Steve’ll know where that is. I don’t want to talk about it on the phone.”

“Okay, we’ll be there.”

Danny swung his legs back into bed. He knew he’d have to wake Steve up, but didn’t really want to. His partner was sleeping peacefully, and looked more relaxed than Danny thought he’d ever seen him. He leaned in close and gave the sleeping man a soft kiss. Steve snuffled and smiled, but didn’t wake, so Danny kissed him again. The next thing he knew, he was on his back with Steve straddling his body and looking down at him.

“Smooth,” Danny grinned.

“I have my moments.”

“You’re obviously practised at that. Part of your SEAL training?”

Steve laughed, softly. “Not exactly.”

“Listen babe, as much as I want to fuck you right here, right now, for an obscenely, and I mean obscenely, long time… actually scratch that. As much as I want to make love to you, because, y’know, I’m romantic that way, and…”

“Hey, hey wait up a second, lover boy. When and where was it decided that you’d fuck me? I mean, who died and made you top?”

“I’m not saying you can’t. Not saying that at all. In fact, I’m looking forward to that very thing at some stage in the not too distant future. It’s been in my thoughts for quite some time as a matter of fact, but Steve, you get your own way too damned much as it is.”

“You think so?”

“Yes, yes, I do. I definitely do. You lead the team, you steal my lunch, you drive my car, you get me shot, it’s time to turn the tables, my friend. First time out, I get to be balls deep in your ass, and there’s no negotiation.”

Steve couldn’t help but smile.

“Only thing is, there are a few things that make that a little problematic right at the moment.”

“Things?”

“Well, for starters we have no lube, and no condoms, because like I said, I’m romantic that way, besides, I know how you like to be prepared but I seriously doubt that even you thought we’d be gettin’ it on in San Diego. Also, I’d rather do it back home. I have no idea why, I just perform better when I’m in a comfortable place. Like my bed.”

“Perform?”

“Will you let me finish?”

“You say that like I have a choice.”

“And most important, we have to meet Chaim in an hour. He has a lead on Sharif.”

Steve leapt off the bed and grabbed his cargo pants. “Why didn’t you say so?!”

“Sue me, I was kind of enjoying the interaction.”

Just as they were about to leave the room, Steve got right up in Danny’s face.

“You wanna know why I have to control everything? Especially when it concerns you and the team?”

“I wish you’d tell me, because it drives me to distraction.”

Steve leaned in and kissed him, deeply, carding his fingers through Danny’s slicked back hair, then held him tight, whispering in his ear as if he didn’t dare look as he spoke.

“Because you’re my Ohana. You’re my family now, and the thought of losing you terrifies me. Especially you. I’m not used to that feeling.”

Danny held him close and massaged the back of his neck.

“I can take care of myself, babe. And you too, as it happens, and Kono and Chin. You’re not alone anymore, okay? And you gotta trust me. I love you. You and Gracie are the most important people in my life, and I’m not gonna do anything stupid. You’re not gonna lose me unless you throw me out of your life. Okay?”

“Okay.”

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Steve and Danny pulled up along C Avenue and crossed the street to the Gelato house. The café was small, but airy and light, with fans turning slowly in the ceiling and luckily there were only two other tables occupied. Chaim was already sitting inside waiting for them. He stood to welcome them, and Steve and Danny took the seats opposite him.

“Danny, have you been here before?”

Danny shook his head. “First time in San Diego.”

“He’s a cop, not Navy,” Steve explained.

“I should have guessed with the lack of tattoos! In that case you need to try the gianduia or the stracciatella. Both excellent!” Chaim replied with a wide smile.

“I thought we came here to share information?” Danny asked. “I’d be okay with just a cup o’ coffee.”

The big man chuckled. “I’m Jewish, what can I tell you? Nothing wrong with a little nash at the same time, huh?”

The waitress came over and asked for their order, which Chaim offered for all of them. Strawberry, chocolate, and chocolate hazelnut.

“Just put them in the centre of the table, motek. We’ll share.”

“So, what have you got?” Steve leaned across the table.

“My source in Shin Bet tells me he’s holed up in a condo in Kaunakakai. Here’s the address. He’s been there for around a month, and as far as we can tell, he’s liaising with other Islamists around the Pacific, planning a complex series of destabilising attacks. We don’t know of anything major, certainly nothing like 9/11, but enough to make the national governments nervous. We think the idea is to truly globalise the threat, take it to places the Western governments haven’t considered might be at risk.”

Steve nodded, “Flexing their muscles?”

“In a way,” Chaim replied. “We’ve already seen bombings in the Far East, this is a progression of that. To show that al-Qaeda’s influence extends to the west of America as well as to the east. A pincer movement, if you will. They want to take over as many of the worldwide Islamic fundamentalist organisations as possible, and there are very many of them. Al-Qaeda is trying to win them over by claiming they’re all working for the same endgame. Global domination of Islam, the instigation of Sha’ria law, and the annihilation of western civilisation, which, of course, they don’t consider civilised. If they succeed, we’re all in trouble.”

Danny exhaled. “Can’t fault them for ambition. So, they’re trying to show us they can strike any time and anywhere?”

The gelato arrived and Chaim dug in.

“That’s what my sources tell me. Take a spoon, Daniel. That’s a biblical name, you know. Come on. Eat!”

“You sound like my mother,” Danny smiled.

“How are they co-ordinating all this?” Steve asked, taking a bite of the strawberry.

“My source believes Sharif and his people are meeting with representatives from the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and Papua, as well as a guy from Micronesia and three faces from Hawaii that we know for sure. I’ll have him send your office all the details.”

“My bet is they’ll come in for the Hoe,” Steve sucked thoughtfully and absentmindedly at the ice cream on his spoon, taking off a little at a time. As much as Danny didn’t want to watch Steve’s lips working over the soft gelato, he couldn’t help himself and had to shift in his seat.

“The what now?”

“The Molokai Hoe. It’s like the world championship of men’s outrigger canoe racing. People come from all over the Pacific, and all over the world to watch and compete. Molokai will be busy and they’ll be able to blend in with the tourists. It’s being held next week, so we don’t have much time. Does your friend have any idea of what they might be planning?”

Chaim took a large spoonful of stracciatella and shook his head.

“Nothing concrete. As far as we know, that’s what this meeting is about, strategy. If it was me, though, I’d be looking at co-ordinated attacks in Canberra, Manila, Wellington, some smaller hits in the islands between Australasia and Hawaii, definitely Guam, and I’d hit Honolulu. Hard. I’d want to show the outstretched arm and the sword of Allah all the way across the Pacific, to show the US that its outlying protectorates are just as vulnerable as the ones in the Middle East. Perhaps more vulnerable, because they don’t have UN support. But that’s just me. When Israel sends a message, we expect it to be clearly understood.”

Danny rubbed his face with his hands. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph. No offence.”

“None taken,” Chaim grinned.

Steve rose from the table and offered his hand to Chaim.

“Thanks brother. I owe you one.”

Chaim took his hand in a bone-crushing handshake, pulling Steve in for a hug.

“Just kill the bastard. For Yoni and Lazer.”

“And Shalit.”

Chaim nodded, sombrely. “And Shalit. Good luck.”

Steve got into the rental car and gripped the wheel tightly, opening and closing his hands.

“You okay?”

Steve didn’t answer, because at that point he didn’t know. He wanted to get on the next plane back to Hawaii, find out where Sharif was living his life without hindrance, take an HPD chopper to Molokai, bust into the condo hot and shoot as many bullets into Ahmed Sharif as he could. He also wanted to make the guy suffer before he killed him in many unpleasant and imaginative ways he’d learned in Gitmo and knew he’d need Danny to stop him. He wanted to go back to the hotel, curl up into a ball and shut down altogether, and he wanted Danny to fuck him hard enough and long enough to make the pain to go away.

He allowed his head to drop between his arms and took a breath.

“Steve, what is it? C’mon. You want me to drive?”

McGarrett took his hands off the wheel and looked down at them.

“Jesus, Steve. You’re shaking. Okay, get out of the car. I’m taking us back to the hotel right now. Next plane out isn’t til morning.”

They swapped places and Steve laid his head on the back of the seat, eyes closed, trying to calm his breathing as Danny eased the car out into traffic.

Steve didn’t even register the journey back to the hotel. He got it together for long enough to get into his room, took a miniature of Scotch out of the minibar and downed it, while Danny got Chin up to speed and told him to expect the information on Sharif’s whereabouts.

“You’re scaring me here, Steve. Tell me what you need.”

“I need you, babe. Forget condoms, forget lube. We’re both clean, I know we are. I just need you.” His voice shook in fear, or in desire, he wasn’t sure which. It was probably a little of both.

Danny stood in front of Steve and took the bottle away from him, discarding it, then took Steve’s hands in his.

“Are you sure about this? I feel like I’m taking advantage. If we’re gonna do this it’s got to be you and me. Level playing field. Connection, y’know?”

Steve panted for breath and his heart raced. Right now, at this moment, he needed Danny more than anything. He needed to know Danny was there in the most elemental way possible. He didn’t want to talk about it, he just wanted to do it. He pulled his lover close and held him tight.

“Listen. I want you balls deep, just like you said. I’ve wanted this for a long time and I don’t want to wait any longer, okay? The whole thing with Sharif is fucking me up and I need to get my head straight or I’m useless to all of you. You’re the only one who can help me do that. I know it’s not the romantic first time you wanted, and for that, I’m sorry, I truly am. I promise, when this is all over I’ll make it up to you, but what I need is to know you’re with me, 110%. I need it rough. Can you do that for me, Danno? Now? Right here? ”

Steve’s hands were hanging onto Danny’s shirt so tightly, his knuckles were white and the vein in his neck stood proud.

Danny grabbed his head and kissed him, hard.

“You got it, babe. Whatever you need.”

Danny pushed his hands under Steve’s shirt and tore it over his head, throwing it across the room. Their mouths crashed together, tongues battling as Danny pushed Steve backwards towards the bed, and deftly hooked his leg behind Steve’s, overbalancing him. Steve sprawled out, a red flush already appearing on his chest as Danny pulled roughly at his cargo pants and shorts. Steve lay there, naked and open as Danny pulled his shirt and tie over his head, then dispensed with the rest of his clothes. Steve’s cock was achingly hard, but his lover’s was not far behind and their erections knocked together as Danny straddled him.

He leaned in for a deep, sensual kiss, just to calm things down a little. Danny didn’t want it to end too soon for either of them, and Steve needed to know he was in control. Danny traced the line of Steve’s stubbled jaw with his tongue and teeth, nipping McGarrett’s ear and whispering, his voice hoarse and needy.

“I got you and I’m never letting you go, McGarrett. You hear me?”

Steve moaned as Danny bit his neck, marking his territory, sucking hard and then laving the bruised skin with his wet tongue.

His hands grasped the sheets. “Come on, Danny, come on!”

Danny was uncomfortable about using just his spit as lubrication, and this wasn’t a scenario he’d even considered. Steve was becoming desperate though, and as much as Danny didn’t want to hurt him, there wasn’t much of a choice.

“Get your knees up for me.”

Steve pulled up his knees, and Danny knelt between them, spat on his hand and smeared the saliva around the head of his cock, hissing as he did so.

“Relax. I got nothin’ but spit here. You gotta bear down as I push, okay?”

“I’ve done this before, just shut the hell up and fuck me already.”

Danny grabbed his cock, positioned it and pushed, slowly and steadily, grunting with the effort of holding himself back. Beads of sweat began to pop up on his forehead and Steve grimaced, but tried to relax and let him in. Steve’s fingers dug painfully into Danny’s shoulders but after a couple of minutes of steady, gentle stroking, easing a little further in each time Danny was nestled all the way inside, the heat of Steve’s body seeping into him as McGarrett wrapped his legs possessively around his partner’s waist.

He relaxed over Steve, hooking his arms under Steve’s shoulders and kissed him softly.

“Babe, I can’t even tell you how good this feels.”

Calm for the first time since they’d come back from seeing Chaim, Steve ran his fingers through Danny’s hair and smiled.

“You don’t need to. I already know.”

Danny kissed him again, harder this time, his tongue playing around the inside of McGarrett’s mouth as he began to move, smoothly. Steve gasped as Danny’s cock hit the sweet spot and Danny grinned against his mouth as he withdrew and then hit it again, and again.

“You like that?”

“Shut up,” Steve panted and gripped him tightly, making Danny let out a hiss.

“Level playing field, brah,” Steve smiled, rocking up to meet his lover’s increasing thrusts. Steve’s right hand snaked down his body, and gripped his erection, stroking it in time.

After a few minutes of solid pounding, Danny panted, “You better be close babe, and I’m not joking,” just as Steve arched his back and came hard all over his stomach and chest.

“Fuck! Danno!”

Danny groaned and emptied himself inside Steve’s body, twitching as Steve wrung the last drops of come from his cock.

McGarrett put his arms around Danny and held him close. It was messy, but well worth it.

“Jesus Christ, Steve… that… you’re…”

Steve kissed him and smiled. “See, if I’d known that was what it would take to shut you up…”

Danny laughed into his shoulder.

“Fuck you.”

“If you can do that again right now I want some of whatever you’re taking!”

Danny eased himself out and rolled over.

“I gotta go clean up.”

“Yeah.”

Steve winced a little as he moved, but mentally shrugged. However sore he was, he’d do it again in less than a heartbeat. Something caught his eye as he watched his partner, now his lover, pad across to the bathroom.

“Danny, what’s that on your ass?”

Danny turned and grinned over his shoulder.

“It’s a New Jersey Devil, babe.”

“Hmm.”

When Danny had finished, Steve went into the bathroom and washed his chest and stomach with a warm washcloth, the rest could wait. He wanted to keep the feeling of Danny inside him for as long as possible, just to remind him that it was real. In the few minutes it had taken, Danny had snuggled under the covers and Steve could swear he was almost asleep. Danny opened his arms and the comforter so Steve could get in, and nestle back in as he had earlier in the day.

“C’mon. I’m getting cold here.”

Steve smiled, grateful, but feeling a little awkward. He wasn’t sure exactly why, but it didn’t really matter. As soon as he was in Danno’s arms, he felt safe again, secure in the knowledge that Danny knew and loved him for who he really was, not who he was expected to be. The walls had come tumbling, and Steve felt relieved to not be alone anymore. They could handle anything the future might bring.

Danny kissed him softly.

“How’re you doin’?”

“I’m good. You?”

“You’d expect me to come up with something a little more imaginative than good, right?”

Steve chuckled quietly into Danny’s chest and snuggled deeper in.

“But to be honest, babe, that just sucked every other brain cell outta me. I’m done. I’m actually grateful I still have the autonomic functions like breathing still working and I now have the vocabulary of a drunk chimpanzee, so…”

He leaned over to the nightstand and switched on the MP3 player on his phone.

“I’m just gonna shut up, and you need to listen.”

The sounds of the city, a lone piano began to play, and Adele's voice filled the dimly lit room as Steve began to drift.

When the rain  
Is blowing in your face  
And the whole world  
Is on your case  
I could offer you  
A warm embrace  
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows  
And the stars appear  
And there is no one there  
To dry your tears  
I could hold you  
For a million years  
To make you feel my love  
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/a/adele/make_you_feel_my_love.html ]  
I know you  
Haven't made  
Your mind up yet  
But I would never  
Do you wrong  
I've known it  
From the moment  
That we met  
No doubt in my mind  
Where you belong

I'd go hungry  
I'd go black and blue  
I'd go crawling  
Down the avenue  
No, there's nothing  
That I wouldn't do  
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging  
On the rolling sea  
And on the highway of regret  
Though winds of change  
Are throwing wild and free  
You ain't seen nothing  
Like me yet

I could make you happy  
Make your dreams come true  
Nothing that I wouldn't do  
Go to the ends  
Of the Earth for you  
To make you feel my love

 

tbc


End file.
